Vitalik Buterin Sells Nearly 3,000 ETH in Series of Small Onchain Swaps

Buterin said he is personally taking on responsibilities that might otherwise fall under special foundation projects, with a focus on building an open, secure and verifiable technology stack spanning software and hardware.

“Specifically, we are seeking the existence of an open-source, secure and verifiable full stack of software and hardware that can protect both our personal lives and our public environments.”

The Ethereum Foundation has previously faced criticism for selling ETH to fund operations, but has since explored alternative strategies, including staking and decentralized finance-based approaches.

Market sensitivity grows amid uncertainty

The sales come during a period of heightened sensitivity toward large holders. Falling ETH prices have prompted leveraged Ether whales to unload assets to repay loans, adding to the sell pressure.

In an X post on Tuesday, Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan said that the crypto market has been in a “full-blown crypto winter” since January 2025. “Chances are, were closer to the end than the beginning,” Hougan said.